Wide Band Communication Receiver on the cheap

[fshndean38]

I am thinking ham license but till then I was thinking about a handheld
Wide Band Communication Receiver. I am sure a license is not needed for purchase.just don't talk right ?

My thoughts are why buy a handheld police scanner when I can get much more action and info plus fire,police,medic,air and coast guard.

I live in Tillamook County that runs on conventional analog and my bct8 and bct15x do fine for the basic police,fire med,coast guard air,marine.

So my question is what would a Wide Band Communication Receiver give me over a police scanner ?

What would be a good starter handheld mod on the cheap ?

Anyone?

 

[krokus]

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.973 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/105)

First, what a handheld general receiver won't give you: fast scan rate; trunking; digital (in most cases); digital trunking; (possibly) rebanded coverage; narrowband (model dependent).

What the general coverage receiver will get you: HF coverage (with SSB); ham 6m band; MW; a front end that (typically) can not be hooked up to an external antenna.

 

[scannersnstuff]

the 2 communications receivers i've had,gave me nothing but problems. both were alinco garbage. get a wideband scanner, you'll be much happier. some communications receivers take a masters degree to program.

 

[RKG]

Here is a rule of thumb (and physics) to bear in mind: the wider the coverage, the more expensive device it takes to preserve any quality (in terms of sensitivity, selectivity, audio sound, and a bunch of other things). A good general coverage receiver (e.g., ICOM R-7000) will have upwards of a dozen separate front end circuits (which are switched based on the selected frequency and mode), all of which take space and cost money.

 

[scannersnstuff]

i should have qualified my answer. my 2 pos receiver's were hand held's. the alinco dj-x2000, which was supposed to be the cat's meow of expensive crap. the other pos, was the alinco dj-x30. they both sucked.
i will NEVER buy another alincNO.

 

[W6KRU]

Getting a general coverage receiver is easy. Hooking an antenna to it that works is a different matter.

 

[mule1075]

it seems you were looking for an all in one receiver which did not meet your needs and you bought it.my aor 8200mk3 is Ok on all fronts but that is a price you pay if you go for a wideband receiver that is slow scanning which most if not all are.And to quantify your answer maybe you did wrong in buying the alincos but maybe you did not user preference you know.

i should have qualified my answer. my 2 pos receiver's were hand held's. the alinco dj-x2000, which was supposed to be the cat's meow of expensive crap. the other pos, was the alinco dj-x30. they both sucked.
i will NEVER buy another alincNO.

 

[mule1075]

no masters degree to program mine if anything just a little bit of time thats all.And what wideband scanner are you talking about the bc330t?

the 2 communications receivers i've had,gave me nothing but problems. both were alinco garbage. get a wideband scanner, you'll be much happier. some communications receivers take a masters degree to program.

 

[57Bill]

The ICOM R-20 is a handheld unit that will perform well, attached to a good rooftop antenna.

 

[fshndean38]

it seems you were looking for an all in one receiver which did not meet your needs and you bought it.my aor 8200mk3 is Ok on all fronts but that is a price you pay if you go for a wideband receiver that is slow scanning which most if not all are.And to quantify your answer maybe you did wrong in buying the alincos but maybe you did not user preference you know.

I am shopping around and asking for ideas and suggestions. I have not purchased a receiver .
at the moment I am using my bct15x and bct8 scanners along with my antenna craft st2 .


I have never owned a wideband receiver so were better to go for great info ? Radio Reference .
from all the great responses I have learned they scan slow,are a some what of a pain to program,
and so on.

The ICOM R-20 is starting to sound like it would be a fun handy tool to carry in my 'bug out bag'

 

[fshndean38]

The ICOM R-20 just might fit the bill. thanks for the tip. reviews are looking ok as well thanks.

 

[fshndean38]

Thanks to all the members that responded to my post..
lots of great info.

 

[scannersnstuff]

mule1075. i'm sure there are probably some good communications receivers. my experiences just were not good. i should have said a scanner with as wideband range as you can find. i have heard some good thing's about some aor's and some icom's. take something like the aor 8200 though. the thing is expensive as heck. then you have to buy slot card's to give you thing's like basic ctcss. i read that they are coming out with an updated one though. i think ctcss is included.